Harry ignored the looks of relief and horror that his blood clad inspired as he walked into Grimmauld place and made his way straight towards the toilet. "Harry?" Hermione asked worriedly as her boyfriend ignored all questions and had a very distant look in his eyes.
His eloquent reply came in the form of bending forward and throwing his half-digested breakfast down the toilet. The girl started in surprise and glanced at the older people in the hopes they knew what was going on. A set of confused expressions answered her unspoken question.
Harry gagged out a few more retching sounds but nothing came out. He stumbled away from the toilet bowl and fell on his behind. Hermione was startled by how pale Harry was and she worried he had lost too much blood from the wound on his chest. Then she got a look into Harry's eyes and saw that he was afraid.
It didn't make sense to Hermione. She knew Harry was not fearless yet at the same time he was Gryffindor who truly thread the places angels feared to do so. "Harry." she called out and green eyes locked with her own before he looked down. Now Hermione knew for certain something was very wrong.
She stepped into the bathroom and kneeled in front of him. She reached out to give him a hug to shake him out of whatever was plaguing him. As soon she touched him however he flinched away. Hermione was not deterred however and pulled him into an awkward hug. "Harry… what is wrong." she demanded kindly as she held him.
She was unaware that behind her Remus started shooing the other adults away to let the young lady help Harry in private. "I…" He whispered uncertainly. "I stopped seeing the goblins as living things." the horror he felt for doing so was undeniable. Hermione went still as she struggled to say something without revealing how shocking it was for her.
With great trouble she kept herself from demanding more information and instead tightened her hug. When her muscles started to burn she released him "You are not a bad person Harry…" She struggled to find the right words. "And how do I know I won't see you one day as just a thing that is in my way?!" Harry suddenly demanded.
"Because that isn't who you are." Hermione managed to answer after a second and she was inwardly relieved Harry just looked really confused. "Tell me what happened. I know you didn't walk into Gringotts this morning to start a war against the goblins." she asked softly and patiently listened as Harry told the story once more.
Remus was happy to see that his choice turned out to be right as Harry looked a whole lot better an hour later while Hermione hovered protectively near him. 'It looks like Harry is following you in his footsteps Prongs.' He held back a smile. 'Although he did a better job in getting the girl he has fallen for to like him as well.'
While Hermione was working her magic on Harry he and Sirius were stuck assuring Hermione's parents that their daughter would not find herself stuck in some dark cave fighting goblins to the bloody death. This was after Sirius had ranted and raved that the blasted creatures had dared to take Harry's heritage from him.
With going into Diagon Alley and getting an early start on the shopping for the next school year out of the list of options they headed into the muggle London to distract themselves from the recent events when Harry gathered himself.
-Linebreak-
Harry wasn't sure how Hermione had convinced her parents that she would be spending the night over but he was grateful for it. It was also a good soul lifting laugh to see them both pointedly step towards Remus and tell the man the ground rules they expected to be followed. Sirius's pout was a magnificent thing to see.
Once home courtesy of another limousine from the Witenagemot, on whose credit they shopped as well, he was surprised to find an owl bearing the Witenagemot's sigil waiting patiently beside Fawkes as the pair of avians helped themselves to Hedwig's water. The white snowy owl sitting all puffed up as a queen allowing the plebs to eat.
Once the thirsty birds noticed that their recipients were in they winged their way over. Fawkes stopped in front of Sirius and Remus while the owl went to Cressida. "Nothing for me Hedwig?" he asked his loyal owl as he walked over and proceeded to shower his attention on her as he waited for Cressida and Remus to read their letters.
"I wonder what this is about." Harry wondered as gave Hedwig one final pat. He headed towards the kitchen to fetch some fresh fruit for Fawkes and some owl pellets for the two owls. The food was well received as Remus started penning out a reply. "Harry." Cressida said to get his attention as he fed the birds. "Yes?" Harry replied with a frown at the hesitant tone.
"The Witenagemot asked us to delay you tomorrow from heading to Gringotts tomorrow morning." Mia stated bluntly. "They are going to negotiate with the goblins in the early morning." "The Witenagemot is?" Harry asked, surprised that they were going to be involved instead of the ministry. He was fully expecting the ministry to throw a temper tantrum if they were not allowed to talk with the goblins. "A mixed group of the Witenagemot, the ministry and ICW."
Harry looked thoughtful at why Cressida and Mia were telling him. He then remembered what supposedly happened when somebody tried to manipulate a Campione. A request to do so was now made in an attempt to keep him out. "Early in the morning right?" he asked in confirmation. "You can reply I will head over to Gringotts around ten o'clock."
The willowy woman nodded relieved and quickly penned out a reply. Fawkes meanwhile flashed away with Remus and Sirius's reply. Upon noticing the curious looks from the rest of the room Remus gave a shrug. "Harry did make a mess out of the goblin bank. Dumbledore wants to meet later with some of the people he trusts."
Harry winced slightly and his eyes conveyed he was sorry for inflicting a late night on the two men. Thankfully Dobby announced dinner was ready to draw the attention away from the recent events.
Remus was grateful Sirius had gone ahead after shuffling the youngsters off for an early night. Although he was certain Cressida was still up and exchanging messages with the Witenagemot. Harry had not protested much as bedrest meant that his injuries would heal faster. A small part of him was curious to see the truth that Campione could bounce back from bad injuries in a single night's rest.
He was just planning to check up on Harry before heading out himself when he saw Hermione tiptoe her way through the hallway. In a reflex the old prankster spirit rose to the forth and he disillusioned himself in a snap. A suspicious look crossed the witch's expression but she dismissed it as a trick of her mind or light.
With a grin that would not be misplaced on Sirius making a lecherous joke about the young pair he watched Hermione unlock the door and step in Harry's room where the boy was tossing and turning in the throes of a nightmare. "Harry." Hermione whispered as she darted forward. Remus followed her with a protego on his lips should Harry lash out.
He did not as he fell on his back and gave a blearily "Hermione?". It was clear the lights were on but nobody was home yet. Remus took this moment to glance at Harry's wounds and found none of them had opened. With a fond smile he watched Hermione mother Harry and sooth him back to sleep. He was not surprised by the deeply worried look she sported as she watched her love snooze away the night.
"I believe I can trust you to spend the night at his side." he said softly. Despite that Hermione still startled but held back a yelp of surprise. "If you do not tell your parents I won't either." he said with a grin. He'd have to smack Sirius a couple of times to make sure the unrepentant jokester knew that this was off limits. But in the name of matchmaking he would do that odious duty.
"At his side." Hermione said with a healthy blush. "Hmm, yes. Sleeping with Harry." he said with a wink and he didn't have to guess certain adult thoughts went through the witch's mind. "You are a smart enough girl to keep it to sleeping… for now." he added teasingly. "I.. I shouldn't." Hermione denied.
Remus held back a roll of his eyes. "And can you then promise me you won't haunt the night and check up on Harry every hour?" Remus smirk went unnoticed as Hermione had trouble holding eye contact. "Go on." he encouraged. "Just keep it to heavy petting tomorrow morning."
For a moment he thought a burst of accidental magic had lit up the room by the blush he was certain the girl now had. He then wrote it off as his imagination getting the better of him. "Good night." he whispered instead. As he left the room he made a note to make sure he had a camera somewhere easily accessible and ready for action.
"Now lets see what Dumbledore is up to." Remus muttered. 'I do wonder how he convinced Moody to let him use one of his houses… or hideouts for this meeting.' As he spoke the address and the fire turned green. In a flash he stumbled out of the fireplace and nearly into the chair in front of a table.
"Remus my boy. I was about to ask Sirius to fetch you. Were there any problems?" Dumbledore asked with amused eyes. With Snape in the room Remus was not too inclined to share Harry's troubles. Snape was bitter enough to use it like he had done with his own werewolf status. "Not at all Headmaster. Although by the rate owls are winging in and out from Cressida's room I think the Witenagemot is rather nervous about the goblin's treachery."
"Potter just couldn't help but make trouble couldn't he." Severus Snape grouched. "If I heard correctly it was more like the goblins trying to strike first, and the boy being properly vigilant and striking back instead." Moody replied sharply with a glare towards Snape. "Gentleman." Dumbledore interrupted. His tone was neutral but it held a hint of command both men took note off.
"I called you all here as Harry's conflict with the goblins created an opening I wish to use. I had hoped to handle this alone, but even I have to admit that my abilities are not infallible." he admitted with a nod to Snape. "Severus, if you could show them your mark." The potion master did so with great reluctance and four audible intakes of breath were heard.
"The bastard got out of the grave didn't he?" Moody demanded. "He did. Around the time the third task occurred." Dumbledore confirmed "I had hoped to keep the method of how he had done so myself and eliminate the result of this work in privacy." The rest of men blinked as they saw Dumbledore age visibly. The old wizard felt guilt at the partial lie he was telling his trusted friends. "But I am afraid it is not so. I do not wish to force any of you into following me. But this knowledge will weigh heavily on your minds and the task ahead is most perilous."
"I am in. If the dark wanker is around then his target will be Harry." Sirius said firmly. Remus opened his mouth to object but saw the steely determination he knew Sirius had before he disappeared into Azkaban. "You can count on my support Albus." "You don't need to ask. I got a score to settle with him." Moody said gruffly. "For the sake of the peace we have. I will take this burden." Kingsley Shacklebolt declared. Snape merely gave a nod. His loyalty was already assured.
"I am honoured by your dedication." Dumbledore said softly. "Very well. Steel your hearts, souls and minds. Tom Marvelo Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort." There were no gasps or panic at the name "has created artifacts known as a Horcrux. I recently uncovered he has made seven of them in total."
He held up his hand to halt any questions. "Two of them were destroyed unwittingly by Harry and I have made preparations to destroy the rest." Dumbledore would be reluctant to admit that he had enlisted Fawkes aid to take some of the slain Basilisk's poison. Holding onto the substance even for a just reason felt like casting a killing curse. Yet he knew he needed it for the task that laid before him.
"I thought I had the clues to a fourth. But someone who was a death eater betrayed Voldemort and relocated the….." he trailed off and Sirius suddenly felt like he had been caught peeping on the upper years as Dumbledore gave him a piercing look. "Sirius, your brother's initials were R.A.B. correct? And he was a death eater…"
Sirius frowned at the reminder of his sibling. "Yes. But Voldemort isn't the kind of man that allows to you just hand in your resignation." "Yet I now believe he did." Dumbledore said with a weak eye-twinkle. "Once the rigours of this night are over. I urge you to visit my office." "Okay?" Sirius agreed uncertainly.
"Now before we get further off track… I suspect the location of one more Horcrux. And I am certain of the one pertinent for tonight." "It is in Gringotts is it not?" Moody cut in with a sharp look. Both eyes focused intently on Dumbledore. "Correct. Inside the Lestrange vault to be exact in the form of the founder's artifact, the Hufflepuff's Cup."
"You want to use the chaos in the aftermath of the attack to break in and steal this cup?" Shacklebolt asked. "And the chaos from the thieves who try to use the same opportunity. I know there were two break in attempts before the sun even set." the old wizard answered with a tired smile. "It won't be easy…" Moody said thoughtfully. "I have been working on this for several months." Dumbledore assured the men. "Had I another half a year I might have been able to do this alone. As far I am aware the work of my earlier incursions so far have been unnoticed."
"Earlier incursions?" Sirius asked confused as he tried to figure out why the old wizard had apparently breached Gringotts defences earlier. "Indeed. Instead of trying to break through all the defences in one attempt. I have been slowly wearing down layer after layer like the sea slowly washes away a sand castle."
Remus couldn't help but smile at the eccentric odd method the wizard had chosen to tackle the problem. "However with this accident all the work will be undone and I do not think I would succeed from doing so again once the goblins are reminded of this method." Dumbledore said with clear regret.
"Reminded?" Sirius asked puzzled. "Do you really think Gringotts only has been broken into once?" The headmaster asked in return with a clear twinkle in his eye showing his amusement. Sirius blushed at the reminder of Dumbledore's age when something suddenly hit him. "I suppose not. But… everything sounds like you started doing recently…"
"That is correct." came the reply in a neutral tone. "But… the two Horcrux Harry destroyed. One of them must be that diary." Sirius guessed. "But that happened over two years ago." his agitation came to the fore. "Have you been sitting on this information all this time?!"
"Yes and no Sirius." Dumbledore said, inwardly glad he had no more reason to dance around the truth, and for a moment the men wondered if he was cursed to suddenly age. "There was a prophecy in play. And I found out the hard way that the fates were not to be denied. Any attempt for me to 'solve' the issue was always met with deadly accidents. Not only towards myself but also to those dear to me. I was very limited in what I could do, but I assure you I have been pushing against that limit for much longer than you think."
"And then Harry Potter became a Campione. Invalidating the prophecy on him and giving you free rein to act." Remus replied as he put the pieces together. "You must have been running down each and every hint you could muster." Some of the tiredness evaporated at the acknowledgement of his efforts. "Indeed I have Remus."
"That is good. If we can silently smother Voldemort then everything will be for the better. But what has he been up to since he returned?" Moody asked with a pointed look towards Snape. The dour man returned it easily. "I do not know. I am not part of the trusted circle that he called in. I only know for certain who some of the members who were called. And they are all looking up information on heretic gods."
The potion master sniffed dismissively. "Since the child has become one I suspect he wants to become a Campione as well." All but Snape and Dumbledore paled at the thought of a superpowered Voldemort rampaging through their country. Moody recovered first and then chuckled. "If we remove these Horcrux things that somehow keep him alive and then he gets offed by a heretic god…." he chuckled darkly.
"We can only hope the fates will be that kind." Dumbledore said "Shall we return to the plan to break into Gringotts?" The old wizard kept a smile to himself as it was not Minerva stomping on his toes to get him focused on the subject matter as the rest of the people in the room looked sheepish for a moment. "Now for entry into the building, I created a hole in the roof and the wards protecting it. This allows us entry into the top level unnoticed. There are no further wards or detection magic as it is used by the public during the day."
He showed his mastery of transfiguration by conjuring a 3d replica. "From there we shall head to the emergency stairs at the back. These stairs will bring us all the way to the first sublevel." Dumbledore calmly laid out his plan and admitted when he reached the end of his knowledge. A side hallway into the cavern system the customers saw.
He was quite certain he could navigate the group towards the Lestrange vault from there. He also had obtained certain items needed to get to the vault. The Lestrange key and an odd bell. "I am not going to ask how you got the vault key." Sirius noted with disbelief. But what is with the bell thing?" "It is a clanker. The goblins clang this thing and then harm the young dragons to make them associate the sound with danger and pain."
Moody made an approving sound as he went over the plan again in his head. "You are truly vigilant Albus. How did you get that far into Gringotts to scope things out?" "I had an impetuous youth and my positions gave me some insight into the workings of Gringotts before."
"So we have a way in and we know where to go." Sirius summarized after a while as everyone memorized the details Dumbledore had started to dish out. "But unless things changed while I was rotting in Azkaban we still have a horde of goblins to get past. Harry did not kill that many goblins." "You would think so." Dumbledore noted approvingly like a teacher hearing a smart question in class.
"The truth however is much more in our favor. From what I understand of the young Campione's story the goblin leadership has been cut down during the battle in the ritual chamber. The direct leaders under that are usually assigned to guard the main staircases Harry used on his way back up." He explained patiently. "This means most, if not all of the higher leadership has been eliminated with a portion of the 'middle management' so to say as well. I suspect the effective loss of goblin lives has been tripled, if not quadrupled, as they have fought out a new hierarchy."
"Meanwhile most of the remaining capable forces will be committed to the obvious routes of entry as other opportunists try to strike during the night. The most dangerous phase, where we must be most vigilant as Alastor would say, would be while we are above ground." Dumbledore summarized. "And unless things have changed in the last hour there has been no recall of the goblins abroad."
"I suspect that the goblin hands remaining capable of holding an axe will meanwhile be on the lookout underground for any dwarves trying to reignite their conflict with the goblins." "Which will mean there will be no-one really left to patrol in the middle. And it is a huge underground system… and since the goblins are limited by the treaties by just how many…" Remus muttered thoughtfully.
"Quite correct." Dumbledore said with an approving smile as Remus put together the clues. "And what we seek happens to be in the middle." Sounds of agreement came from the room and they fell into a tense discussion about what could go wrong in different areas and how they would handle it.
It was an hour past midnight when all the men felt they could do no more in the form of preparation. "Well then." Dumbledore said with a nod. "Then before we leave there is one thing left to do." he drew a small case from his pocket hidden in his colorful robes. He opened it and it was filled with small bottles and bundles of hair "Who wants to be Lucius Malfoy for the night?"
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore could hold a grudge like a proper pureblood. And Lucius Malfoy had earned his ire for unleashing a basilisk in the castle under his care which miraculously did not claim a single life.